Tasmania’s low-income households are a happy lot expecting to benefit significantly from a Labor solar scheme aimed at cutting their power bills through the installation of solar panels and battery storage. In a statement, Josh Willie the Shadow Housing Minister indicated that 100 residents were scheduled to receive solar PV systems complete with home battery storage. Mr. Willie added that this move by the Labor government was aimed at providing a cost of living relief for Tasmanian households that fall in the low-income bracket.

“It’s critical we do everything we can to support lower income Tasmanians who are dependent on community housing by reducing their exposure to rising electricity costs,” he explained.

TasNetworks, a public-owned organisation has set aside foregone dividends to fund the upfront costs for installation and infrastructure. The installation of the systems will be carried out in conjunction with dependable renewable energy and battery storage companies.

Bruny Island to pioneer solar battery systems

Already, TasNetworks has initiated a project on Bruny Island, in Hobart. The network will see solar panels and storage batteries installed in 40 houses belonging to low-income residents. This project is expected to slash the state’s dependence on diesel power while at the same time easing the pressure placed on the undersea power supply cable. The installation will also allow households in Tasmania to monitor and manage their energy consumption.

Mr. Willie further told The Advocate that the Bruny Island project was to this point a “reasonable success”.

“It’s inevitable that battery storage is taken up by households,” he said. “We want to ensure that the people who can least afford it can get it.”

The Shadow Housing Minister added that the new policy was aimed at reducing costs of households to enable Tasmanian homes to benefit from the installation of solar plus solar power battery storage.

The Author

I took an interest in the Australian energy sector close to ten years ago and since then have monitored the trends, technologies and direction of the Australian Energy Market. I was drawn to the Australian solar market in 2008 and since then have worked heavily in the field. I am partnered with national and international solar energy companies, from manufacturers of solar panel and inverter technology, online software developers that introduce tools to quote, monitor and manage solar power systems and media organisations who like myself, closely monitor the solar and renewable energy sector.